CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES—1787.* We mn Pnorma of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, o ordain and establish this Corvsrrrurrorc for the United States of America. Chisholm 1-. Georgia, 2 Dall., 419; McCulloch v. State of Maryland, 4 Wh., 316; Brown v. Maryland, 12 Wh., 419; Barron v. The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, 7 Pet., 243; Lane County 1-. Oregon, 7 Wall., 71; Texas r. White et sl., 7 Wall, 700. ARTICLE I. Smcrrox. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which s all consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. Hayburn’s case (notes), 2 Dall., 409. Sscnox. 2. ‘The House of Representatives shall be comgosed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the lectors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
- In May, 1785, a committee of Congrem made a report recommending an alteration iii_Q Articles of
Confederation, but no action was taken on it, and it was left to the State Legislatures to proceed in the matter. In January, 1786, the Legislature of Virginia passed a resolution providing for the appointment of five commissioners, who, or any three of them, should meet such commissioners as might be appointed in the other States oi the Union, at a time and place to be agreed uppn, to take into consideration the trade of the United States; to consider how far a uniform system in their commercial regulations may be necxry to their common interest and their permanent harmony; and to report to the several States such an act, relative to this great object, as, when ratified by them, will enable the United States in Congeu effectually to provide or the same. The Virginia commissioners, after some correspondence, fixed e first Monday in Septemberaa the time, and the city of Annapolis as the place for the meeting, but only four other States were represented, viz: Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; the commiseioners appointed by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Rhode Is and failed to attend. Under the circumstances of so partial a representation, the commissioners present agreed upon a repork (drawn by Mr. Hamilton, of N ew York, ) expressing their unanimous conviction that it mightessentiallyten to advance the interests of the Union if the States by which they were respectively delegated would concur, and use their endeavors to procure the concurrence of the other tates, in the appointment of commimioners to meet at Philadelphia on the second Monday of May following, to take into consideration the situation of the United States; to devise such further provisions as should appear to them necessary to render the Constitution of the Federal Government adequate to the exigencies 0 the Union; and to report such an act for that purpose to the United States in Congres amembled as, when agreed to by them and afterwards confirmed by the Legislatnres of every State, would etfectually provide for the same. Connes, on the 21st of February, 1787, adopted a resolution in favor of a convention, and the Legislatures of t cse States which had not already done so (with the exception of Rhode Island) prom tly appointed delegates. On the 25th of May, seven States convened, George Washington, of Virginia, was unanimously elected President, and the consideration o the proposed constitution was commenced. On the 17th of September, 1787, the Constitution asengrossed and agreed upon wa silgned by all the members present, except Mr. Gerry, of Massachusetts, and essrs. Mason and Randolph, 0 Virginia. The ident of the convention transmitted it to Congress, with a resolution stating how the 2(propoeed Federal Government should be put in operation, and an explanatory letter. Congress, on the th of September, 1787, directed the Constitution so framed, with the resolutions and letter concerning the same, to " be transmitted to the several Legislature: in order to be submitted to a convention of delegates chosen in each State by the people thereof, in conformity to the resolves of the convention." - On the 4t o March, 1789, the day which had been fixed for commencing the operations of Government under the new Constitution, it had been ratified by the conventions chosen in each State to consider it, as follows: Delaware, December 7, 1787; Pennsylvania, December 12, 1787; New Jersey, December 18, 1787; Georgia, January 2, 1788; Connecticut, Januar; 9, 1788; Massachusetts, February 6, 1788; Mmggand, Tl @8, Fogthl arolina., May 23, 1788; New ampshire, June 21, 1788; Virginia, June 26, 17 ;and ew or , u y 788. _ The President informed Congres, on the 28th of January, 1790, that South Carolina had ratified the Constitution November 21, 1789; and he informed Congren on the lst of June, 1790, that Rhode Island had ratified the Constitution May 29, 1789. Vermont, rn convention, ratified the Constitution Januarv 10, 1789, and was, by an act of Congrm approved February 19, 1791, "received and admitted into this Union as a new and entire member of the United States." n—03—3 17
